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John Davison Rockefeller (1839-1937)
|birth_year=1839 |birth_month=7 |birth_day=8 |birth_locality=Richford, New York |birth_county=Tioga County, New York |birth_nation-subdiv1=New York (state) |birth_nation=United States |death_year=1937 |death_month=5 |death_day=23 |death_address=The Casements |death_locality=Ormond Beach, Florida |death_county=Volusia County, Florida |death_nation-subdiv1=Florida |death_nation=United States |ifmarried-g1=true |wedding1_year=1864 |wedding1_month=9 |wedding1_day=8 |wedding1_county=Cuyahoga County, Ohio |wedding1_nation-subdiv1=Ohio |wedding1_nation=United States |wedding1_sources="Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDCN-7JT : 8 December 2014), John D. Rockefeller and Saura C. Spelman, 02 Sep 1864; citing Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, reference 2:4053P5P; FHL microfilm 872,470. "Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDF2-9ZH : 8 December 2014), John D. Rockefeller and Laura C. Spelman, 08 Sep 1864; citing Cuyahoga,Ohio, reference ; FHL microfilm 0877915 V. 10-12. "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XD2D-Z7S : 8 December 2014), John D. Rockefeller and Laura C. Spelman, 08 Sep 1864; citing Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, reference 43; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 877,915. |globals= }} John Davison Rockefeller (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy. In 1870, he founded the Standard Oil Company and ran it until he officially retired in 1897.1 Standard Oil began as an Ohio partnership formed by John D. Rockefeller, his brother William Rockefeller, Henry Flagler, chemist Samuel Andrews, and a silent partner Stephen V. Harkness. Rockefeller kept his stock and as gasoline grew in importance, his wealth soared and he became the world's richest man and first American billionaire, and is often regarded as the richest person in history. Standard Oil was convicted in Federal Court of monopolistic practices and broken up in 1911. Rockefeller spent the last 40 years of his life in retirement. His fortune was mainly used to create the modern systematic approach of targeted philanthropy with foundations that had a major effect on medicine, education, and scientific research. His foundations pioneered the development of medical research, and were instrumental in the eradication of hookworm and yellow fever. He is also the founder of both The University of Chicago and Rockefeller University. He was a devoted Northern Baptist and supported many church-based institutions throughout his life. Rockefeller adhered to total abstinence from alcohol and tobacco throughout his life. He married Laura Celestia ("Cettie") Spelman in 1864. They had four daughters and one son; John D. Rockefeller, Jr. "Junior" was largely entrusted with the supervision of the foundations. __SHOWFACTBOX__ Category:19th-century American businesspeople Category:American accountants Category:American billionaires Category:American businesspeople in the oil industry Category:American company founders Category:American investors Category:American people of English descent Category:American people of German descent Category:American people of Scotch-Irish descent Category:American philanthropists Category:American railway entrepreneurs Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Burials at Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland Category:Fellows of the Royal Society (Statute 12) Category:Founders of the petroleum industry Category:History of Cleveland Category:Marathon Oil Category:Businesspeople from Cleveland Category:People from Mount Pleasant, New York Category:People from Ormond Beach, Florida Category:People with alopecia universalis Category:Rockefeller family Category:Rockefeller Foundation Category:Progressive Era in the United States Category:University and college founders Category:University of Chicago people Category:Rockefeller University people Category:Central Philippine University Category:Standard Oil Category:People from Moravia, New York Category:People from Richford, New York Category:Gilded Age Category:Businesspeople from New York (state) Category:Businesspeople from Florida